Visual recovery after surface ablation re-treatment for myopic SMILE

Session Details

Session Title: SMILE, LASIK and Re-treatment

Session Date/Time: Monday 09/10/2017 | 14:30-16:00

Paper Time: 15:45

Venue: Room 2.1

First Author: : M.Dirisamer GERMANY

Co Author(s): :    J. Siedlecki   D. Kook   W. Sekundo   S. Priglinger           

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Many options of retreatment after myopic SMILE exist, including surface ablation, thin flap-LASIK and cap-to-flap transversion. While the advantage of a flap-free retreatment using surface ablation is crucial to many surgeons, patients can be hesitant to accept it due to its painful nature and slow visual recovery. This study was conducted to report speed and outcomes of visual recovery after surface ablation enhancement for myopic SMILE.

Setting:

The databases of four independent laser centers in Munich (Germany), Marburg (Germany), Linz (Austria) and Sennengerbierg (Luxembourg) were screened for patients who had undergone surface ablation after myopic SMILE.

Methods:

Out of 43 eyes, 40 eyes of 28 patients with a follow up of a minimum of three months were included in the analysis. SMILE and surface ablation were performed in the usual manner. Mitomycin C was applied for haze prevention.

Results:

Spherical equivalent (SE) before SMILE was -6.35 ± 1.31 Diopters (D) and -0.86 ± 0.43 D before surface ablation, which was performed after a mean of 9.82 months. At one week, uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) had already recovered to pre-enhancement values, but significant UCVA improvements lagged behind SE which had already improved from -0.86 to -0.07 D (p<0.001). Significant gain in UCVA was seen at six weeks (0.05 logMAR; p<0.0001), which remained stable until three months. Pre-enhancement mean CDVA of 0.01 logMAR deteriorated at one week (0.12 logMAR; p=0.038), but was restored at six weeks (0.00 logMAR) and three months.

Conclusions:

UCVA recovery after surface ablation re-treatment after myopic SMILE can be expected after already one week. Significant improvements are seen at six weeks the latest and remain stable until month three. Corrected visual acuity deteriorates at week one by one line, but is completely restored at six weeks and three months.

Financial Disclosure:

receives consulting fees, retainer, or contract payments from a competing company